Page 40 of Riding the Line
‘If you say so.’ Fliss winks just as the barista sets my coffee on the table. The nutty, caramel scent of the drink wafts up and I inhale it down like it’s a drug. Almost likehow Duke breathed me in when his face was nuzzled into my neck yesterday morning.
‘Oh, behave.’ I narrow my eyes, sipping my coffee and welcoming its toasty heat. ‘I actually have a favour to ask you.’
Fliss perks up. ‘Oh yeah?’
‘Will you give me some riding lessons? I used to ride when I was a teenager, but … well, then I had my first fit and I fell. My parents didn’t want me to get back on, and honestly, I was a little too scared to as well, especially when at one point I was having seizures every month.’ Rory suddenly brushes her foot against my leg. ‘But God, do I miss it. I know Wyatt will probably have a heart attack if he finds out, but I’m kind of done with letting my epilepsy hold me back, you know?’
‘I think it’s a great idea.’ Fliss beams at me. ‘I’d be honoured to, Cherry. I’ll have a look at when I can fit you in around the ranch and let you know, yeah? It will be so fun!’
My heart could burst with joy – at my friends, for being so supportive and kind, and at myself, for taking this first step towards riding again.
‘This is exciting.’ Rory grins, bouncing in her seat. ‘What spurred this on?’
‘Oh …’ I drink down some of my coffee to avoid my nervous laughter from spilling. ‘I’ve kinda been doing this bucket list Montana made me.’
‘Um, I wanna see this list,’ Fliss requests.
I chuckle at her demand and reach down into my bag, pulling out the folded list. You never know when you might be met with an opportunity to tick something off or come up with a new idea to add to it. The girls snatch itfrom my hands and lean into each other as they scour the crumpled paper, Rory letting out the oddoohas certain items pique her interest. When they hit the more sexual activities at the bottom, their eyes widen, and they start pointing to each one with a giggle.
‘Well,’ Rory starts, ‘I for one will always support girls having more orgasms, so this looks great.’
Shortly after, Fliss drops the list to the table. ‘I’m not gonna lie though, shower sex issooverrated.’
‘Sex in a bathroom, however,’ Rory counters, raising a brow and flicking her gaze between us, a smirk tugging at her lips.
‘Please don’t say any more.’ I internally shudder. ‘That’s my brother you’re talking about.’
She chuckles, but then leans back in her chair as she takes a long sip of her smoothie. ‘I never said it was with Wyatt.’
‘Where was it? And who?’ Fliss asks.
‘At Duke’s bar with Wyatt.’
‘For God’s sake!’ I curse, making Rory and Fliss cackle. ‘That’s my place of work, you sex fiend! Now I won’t be able to pee without wondering if you’ve been bent over whatever toilet I’m using.’
And then I’m descending into their fit of giggles, ribs aching from the laughter tumbling out of me. The kind that is so full of joy and elation that it becomes silent, and tears stream from my eyes. To a point that we look a little concerning, all flopped over the table, shoulders bobbing up and down. But it’s goddamn glorious, and I’ve missed having friends that make you feel all warm and golden from the inside out. The kind of group I never found growing up.
When we finally manage to catch our breaths, Flissstraightens the list back out on the table. ‘You’ve been doing all this on your own?’
‘Well, the roller-skating obviously we all did, and the rest, um, I’ve been doing with Montana.’
‘Hmm,’ Rory muses as she points toface my fear of heightson the list. ‘Funny, I don’t remember Montana being on the Ferris wheel with you …’ She gradually drops her mouth to her straw and slurps slowly, lashes fluttering at me.
I narrow my eyes at her. ‘Why do you say that?’
Rory straightens her shoulders and then relays with a grin, in the exact same manner she said it the other week, ‘Why don’t Duke and Cherry go wait by it so we can be first on while we go get some pictures?’
Oh. My. God.
That was … planned?
‘I’m so confused right now,’ I confess, all too aware of the way my heart is suddenly racing. That same adrenaline that coursed through my veins when the Ferris wheel cranked into action and our pod started ascending upwards seeps into my bloodstream again.
Fliss adds, ‘Me too.’
Giving a little squeal, Rory wiggles in her seat, then bites down on her bottom lip to contain whatever excitement has her buzzing like a neon sign. ‘Someone might have called in a favour so they could take you on the Ferris wheel in time for the sunset.’
A breathy laugh escapes my lips. I can’t stop blinking as I take in what she’s just admitted. I feel like I’m reliving the moment, my head spinning as we get further from the ground, surging up towards the wheel’s summit, terrified about what this means.
